Method of rolling deep-flanged shapes.



T. H. MATHIAS.

METHOD OF ROLLING DEEP FLANGBD SHAPES.

3 1L m :B i as T M dw m n .w a P S Cu E w ,P P w E N APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1912.

I" PZ/ WITNESSES.

T. H. MATHIAS. METHOD OF ROLLING DEEP FLANGED SHAPES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1912.

1,082,756. Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

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I 01.0 PROCESS J 4-2 7L V. ,2 ll 3 6 1 a 6 Z a 1c 8 I I F r 7, F 61 60 1 351 his UNITED s'rArEs PATENT orrron.

TH OMAS H. MATHIAS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LAOKAWANNA STEEL COMPANY, OF LACKAWANNA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF ROLLING DEEP-FLAN GED SHAPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

Application filed Ma 28,1912. Serial No. 700,189.

beams of substantial size for structural purposes having integral, middle or intermediate flanges of substantial length. The new principle, which I have discovered, is that the flanges can be formed and worked down in closed passes, whereas it has heretofore been believed that this could only be done in open passes. My process involves said. principle applied as described. The rolls of each and every pass andon one or both sides are provided, adjacent the middle of the roll,

with the closed grooves -to form these middle flanges. The closed grooves of the successive passes are so proportioned to each other that at every pass the middle flange about to enter the closed groove is substantially thicker than said groove and a substantial draft is applied to the flange in said groove, but the surplus for the closed grooves is throughout the entire process always less than the surplus on the end flanges for the open grooves.

Fully to explain my invention, it is necessary to understand the established practice in rolling structural sections provided with edge flanges such as I beams and channels. The forming and working down of these flanges is all done in open grooves, and each closed groove is of suflicient width merely to receive the flange which has been worked down in the immediately lpreceding open groove. In other words, t e flange, as it leaves each open grooveis worked down to such a thickness, as to be free to enter the next closedoove (though of course 1t must fit the close groove snugly) and therefor e pass through suchclosed groove with practically nodr'aft applied to 1t. The edge flan es are worked down-exactly as is the web, t at is when. between, "and only when between,

. the opposed surfaces of the two rolls, that is iniopeii grooves; where flanges are fornied and unworked in'the closed grooves whil the reduction is being continued on the web and the opposite flanges. For it has always been believed that no substantial reduction could be effected in rolling except between opposed rolls, and that the work of rolling down the flanges, just as the web, must be eflected between the opposed surfaces of two rolls, that is in the open groove.- The whole system of rolling flanged sections, and the design and construction of the rolls, have been based on this belief and practice. As a radicaldeparture from this practice I have discovered, what has never before been considered possible, that is the rinciple that flanges may be worked down in closed grooves and I have embodied this rinciple in my new process. To practise t at process, the rolls must be properly formed with closed grooves at or about their middle, and on one, or both, rolls at each pass, according as the middle flange is to be formed on one, or both, sides of the web of the section.

And these closed grooves in the successive passes must be proportioned one to the other so that the flange is substantially thicker than the closed groove into which it enters at every pass. The bar is first roughly shaped in the blooming mill with the middle flang substantially wider than the middle groove of the first roughing and finishing rolls. When the shape is put through the first of these rolls, a substantial draft is applied to the middle flange, whether such a flange is to-be produced on one or both sides of the web, and said flange is substantially worked down in said first pass. This same proportion of the flange andthis same application of a substantial draft thereto must be maintained at every successlve pass, but, as aforesaid, there is always maintained a substantially less surplus on the middle flange for each and every closed groove, than on the end flanges for the-open grooves. Furthermore there must be some surplus of metal in the web, and the web must be made thin at the beginning. The thinner the web in the cogging mill, the more certainty of filling the central 'flange because there is less draft on theweb (and here there'is more to be done on the section as a whole). Therefore I roll down the web in the cogging mill as thin as reasonably possible, and yet no matter how thin, there must still be left in the web, all through the rolling, some surplus to insure the flange. To that end I pass the shape through the blooming mill more times than in the usual processes, say about thirty times, more or less, as compared to about twenty, more or less, so that the web will be comparatively thin when the section comes to the first of the roughing rolls and thereafter there will be less reduction on the web at each pass.

For the sake of illustration I have shown my invention applied to producing an I beam with middle flanges, but it may be applied to rolling other shapes with a middle flange, or flanges. Heretofore when shapes with substantial intermediate flanges were required, it was necessary to form the shapes for the flanges separately and then secure them to the web of the beam in any suitable way as by riveting.

In the drawing herewith, the reference letters and numerals of this description indicate the corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an-elevation of a portion of a train of rolls, in which four passes are shown with the grooves so shaped and proportioned as to roll by my process an I beam with middle flanges on both sides. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation showing the production of the usual form according to the established practice which has been followed for many years. Fig. -3 is a diagram showing substantially the comparative sizes of the ten (more or less? closed passes in the so called roughing and finishing rolls, whereby the middle flanges are produced under my process. Figs. 4 and 5 show shapes which can be made by my process, and only by my process, as I believe. Figs. 6 and 7 show the waste ends respectively of the usual I beam, and of the beam of my Figs. 1 and 3, to illustrate the diflerence in operation and the different factors involved in my process.

In both Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown, for forming I beam sections, four passes which will be sufficient to illustrate my invention but it will be understood that the bar will be put through at least about ten passes, in whichis done the roughin and the finishing, and that, asa preliminary step, the bloom is put through the blooming mill as aforesaid to form the shaped blank. In case of each groove the outline of the rolls is in full lines, and the shape, about to be put through, in dotted lines. The flanges shown with the sharp corner (that is the edge flanges) have been worked down in the preceding open groove and are about to enter the closed groove, where they are held unreduced while the opposite flange is being worked down.

Referring first to Fig. 2, A, B, C, and D indicate four passes, corresponding respectively to about passes 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the roughing and finishing rolls, of which commonly there will not be less than ten, though it is not necessary to show more than four to explain my invention.

At-pass A is indicated in dotted lines the shape received from the preceding groove. On this shape the flanges 1 1, with the square corners, were reduced in the preceding open grooves and are now about to enter the closed grooves 2 on the top roll X. These flanges are no thicker than these closed grooves, in some cases they are even thinner, so that they pass through these grooves without side draft or being reduced, while the flanges 3 from the preceding closed grooves are being rolled down in the open grooves at between the collar on the top roll and the tongue of the middle roll Y. For

that reason the groove 4 is made thinner 'rolled downin open grooves 6, between the opposed surfaces of the two rolls.

In passes C and D the operation is the same; flanges 1 next goingfreely into the closed grooves 9 and being further rolled down in the open groove 10, while flanges 3 are rolled down in open groove 11, and then drop freely into closed grooves 12.

In case of each closed groove there is shown a little surplus of metal on the extreme edge of the flange as indicated; this is merely to insure the filling out of the edges, so that they shall be true, sharp and perfect and not for securing draft on the flangesj-if there were no such surplus, the reduction on the web would have a tendency, due to elongation, to shorten the flanges.

Referring now to Fig. 1, in which my process is shown applied to the production of a rolled I beam section havin opposite middle flanges 20, A, B, C and 1% indicate four passes corresponding (as do the four in Fig. 2) respectively to about passes Nos.

figures as the bar goes through the rolls and the flanges are thus worked down. There is of course a progressively less total amount of reduction in each succeeding pass in which the center closed grooves are indicated respectively by 21 to 26 inclusive, but in each case it will be seen that the middle flange is substantially thicker than the closed groove, and this is an essential feature of my process, for reasons above given. The side flanges of this special I beam section on Figs. 1 and t are indicated by the same nu-, merals as in- Fig. 2 and they are produced by the process there indicated, for it is not necessary or desirable to vary that process on the side flanges. The grooves and passes of Fig. 1 for the edge flanges have the same reference numerals as in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 6 is shown the shape of the usual waste end of a rolled I beam section, in which the draft on the web, constantly tending to draw from the flanges rolled in the open grooves, has forced the web out into a sort of a rounded point.

Evidence of the new principles involved in my process is found in Fig. 7 showing the form of waste end in beams with middle flanges according to my process. Here the fish-tail form shows that the web does not draw from the flanges but the flanges from the web even thou h the web is rolled by the. periphery of t e roll where the speed n binding the concrete.

is greatest, and shows the novelty and desirability of at least one of the steps of my pncess, that is, the initial thinning of the we In Fi s. 4 and 5 I have shown an I beam and a s eet piling section, both provided with reinforcing middle flanges on both side -whereby they are greatly strength ened. I believe that I am the first to have produced these shapes and that they can only be produced commercially by my process. The flanges on the pilesection are also important in concrete protected piling for they may be punched or otherwise used to support the rods, wires or other elements for While, the middle flanges in various modifications of these shapes are produced by my process it will be understood that the rolls must be variously formed to produce these various shapes, and also to roll the variations in the edges ofthe beam, for instance in Figs. 4 and 5 are shown shapes in which ed e flanges are present but very different in sha e. The middle flanges may be rolled decidedly deeper than the edge flanges.

It will be understood that in all cases the middle flange is of substantial depth, for instance two or three inches or more, which must be produced by my process, as distinguished from a mere shallow rib, which maybemerelfy forced out, without any proportionmg o the parts, due merely to the natural flow of the metal, in contrast to the abnormal flow producedin my process. I am aware that small shapes, such as bars for tie-plates have been rolled, provided with such short, intermediate ribs or flanges, but

these are not true flanges, merely ribs or corrugations, which are not rolled or worked out but are merely forced out as aforesaid.

It will be understood that for these tieplates, an unshaped bar, substantially rectangular in cross-section, is put through the rolls three or four times and these ribs of ticular amount of metal, to fill those closed grooves. Whereas the clear distinction of my sections therefrom is that middle flanges can be produced of a length far beyond the natural or normal flow of the metal. The closed grooves are of such a depth that they can be filled only by my process. No amount of mere forcing would make the metal flow sufficiently to fill the groove, even if the rolls were strong enough to standcup to the work.

vHaving described my invention, I claim,

1. The process of rolling structural metal beams having a web and an intermediate flange of substantial depth, which consists in applying draft to said flange in each and every one of a series of closed grooves, the grooves in the successive passes being so proportioned that the flange will always be thicker than the width of the groove which the flange is entering, whereby said flange will be worked down gradually in a plurality of passes, but worked down to a certain extent in every pass.

2. The herein described process of rolling metal beams having edge flanges and intermediate flanges of substantial depth, which consists in applyin draft to the intermediate flanges and r ucing the same at each and ever pass in'closed rooves, but applying dra to the edge anges and rolling down the same only in the alternate passes and then only in open grooves, and in the other alternate passes holding the edge flanges unreduced in closed grooves.

' 3. The process of rolling met-a1 beams having edge flanges and intermediate flanges of substantial depth, which consists in reducin the edge flanges only in open grooves an the intermediate flanges only in closed grooves, the closed groove of the successive passes being so proportioned that the intermediate flange will always be thicker than the groove it is entering and be rolled down at each and every pass, but the edge flanges being rolled only in open grooves between the surfaces of opposing rolls.

4. The process of rolling a metal beam having a Web and an intermediate flange of substantial depth, which consists in reducing the beam successively in series of passes, one of the rolls of each of said passes having a closed groove for said flange, of less width than the thickness of the flange as it enters said pass, said groove thus acting to reduce and to produce a draft on said flange at each and every pass, but the successive grooves being so proportioned that there is gradually less reduction on the flange in each succeeding pass.

5. The process of rolling metal beams having edge flanges and intermediate flanges of substantial depth, which consists in reducing the intermediate flanges in each and every pass in a closed groove, and reducing the edge flanges in alternate passes in open grooves, the edge flanges being held unreduced in the other alternate passes in-closed tinuing the reducing of the beam successively in a series of passes, one of the rolls of each pass having a closed groove for the flange of less width than the thickness of the flange as it enters said pass, the flange being reduced at each pass, the web being rolled down gradually between the opposing surfaces of the two rolls but being so proportioned that it has a surplus metal and is reduced at each pass.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS H. MATHIAS.

Witnesses:

ASA C. BYAM, WALTER J. BRYAN. 

